Paving block



Aug. 30, 1927.

A. H. QLEIPERT PAVING BLCCK Filed June 27. 1924 MQ m A TTO RNEYS.

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

sari-in STATES PATENT oFFics.

AUGUST H. LEIPERT, OF COLLEGE POINT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL MOTOR COMPANY, 01E NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PAVING BLOCK.

Application filed June 27,

This invention relates to a roadway and method of making the same and more par ticularly to an improved paving block of which the roadway may be comprised and a method of manufacturing the block. The object of the present invention is to provide a. durable roadway which can be readily laid according to accepted practice and which shall be yielding or resilient to a degree to minimize the shocks impressed upon pedes trians, animals and vehicles passing thereover and the noise resulting from such passage. In accordance with one aspect of the invention a. base and curb along either side thereof may be formed of any solid rigid material, such as concrete, according to approved practice and the surface of the roadway or the pacing thereof may comprise blocks of yielding material such as rubber, which are disposed directly upon the base and retained between the curbs under compression. By so retaining the blocks their strength, resiliency and wearing qualities are improved. It has heretofore been proposed to pave a roadway by supporting blocks of wood upon a base of rigid material but such a construction has always necessitated the insulation of the paving from the base by a layer of sand or the like in order to afford some degree of resiliency to the pavement and even then shock and at tendant noise resulted from the passage of animals and vehicles thereover. The blocks of wood furthermore required preservative treatment before they were laid and were subject to destruction. Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a paving block which shall afford the necessary degree of non-rigidity whereby shocks may be cushioned and noise deadened and which shall be simple and easy to lay and have long wearing qualities. In the preferred embodimen-t each block is formed of a ribbon of elastic material, such as rubber, wound sul stantially spiral in form, if desired under tension, and thereafter vulcanized. By winding the block under tension the resiliency, life and wearing qualities of the individual block is increased. These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing illustratare improved.

1924. Serial No. 722,648.

ing a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a paving block according to the present in vention. i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in section showing the manner of assembling the blocks.

It will be apparent that any form of rigid or non-yielding base may serve as a support for the paving of the present invention. The blocks may be supported upon a wooden base, for instance, in paving piers or bridges. In the illustrated embodiment,

however, there has been illustrated a fragmentary portion of a concrete base at having a curb a at either side thereof. The improved pavement is adapted to be laid directly upon the base between the curbs and comprises blocks 6 of relatively yielding material laid in rows between the curbs in juxtaposition. The blocks are laid as closely together as possible, as many being crowded in between the curbs as will lie there with out buckling up. XV hen so laid the blocks are under compression which greatly increases their resiliency, strength and wearing qualities.

An individual block may be conveniently formed by winding a ribbon of elastic material, such as rubber, spiral in form as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The ribbonis preferably wound under tension since by so placing rubber or the like under tension its resiliency, stren th and wearing qualities Aftf the block has been wound it may be vulcanized. vulcanization not only hardens the block and increases its wearing qualities but will also serve to secure the end of the ribbon in position. If desired, sheets of rubber may be wound in the form of a long bar or roll and the blocks cut from this roll in a manner which will be readily understood.

This subsequent vulcanization, of course, is in addition to that imparted to the rubber in. preparing it for the commercial state and is nottobe construed as the initial vulcanizing step through which the product passes before being adapted for such usage. This ubsequent operation serves to harden the outer portions of the block and to weld the lap joint to its adjacent layer to prevent the block from unwinding.

It will thus be seen that a particularly eflicacious paving has been provided Which is lasting and yielding to a degree whereby shocks are cushioned and the resultant noise is eliminated.

The invention is not to be limited to the precise form of block illustrated in the drawing nor to the particular material of: Which the block is to be composed. Various forms and materials Will occur to those skilled in the art and no limitation is intended except as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A paving block comprising a band of rubber Wound in substantially spiral form under tension.

2. A paving block comprising a. ribbon of rubber Wound in substantially spiral form under tension and vulcanized.

3. A method of manufacturing a paving block of solid cross section comprising Winding a band of rubber in substantially spiral form to form the entire cross sectional surface of the block.

4-.. A method of manufacturing a paving block comprising winding a band of rubber in substantially spiral form under tension.

5. A. method of manufacturing a paving block comprising Winding a band of rubber in substantially spiral form under tension and vulcanizing.

This specification signed this 23 day of June A. D. 1924.

AUGUST H. LEIPERT. 

